


In the Cave

by AnnaDreyar



Category: Naruto
Genre: Canon Universe, F/M, Haruno Sakura-centric, Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama & Uzumaki Naruto Friendship, NaruSaku - Freeform, Romance, Uzumaki Naruto-centric, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2019-11-16 05:24:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18088250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaDreyar/pseuds/AnnaDreyar
Summary: Maybe it was the war or all the battles they faced together, maybe it was the place and the nice feeling of not being alone, whatever the reason, that night, in that cave he made her realize that he was all she needed and she would be what he needed back. [NaruSaku]





	1. Chapter 1

They were in the middle of the Fourth World War Ninja and everyone was too busy dealing with the enemy or recovering the wounded from the battlefields. Looking around the cave that was only lit by the dim light of a small fire, Sakura wondered again why they were lying there side by side in a sleeping bag instead of working on some battle strategy with Shikamaru and Kakashi or healing wounded shinobis next to Shizune.

"Sakura-chan." The whispered voice of Naruto made her dispel the thoughts that made her distant when all she wanted was to be closer to him.

She turned the face to stare the blue eyes that were lit by the faint light of the fire as he looked to her with a affection she knew that did not deserve.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to run away with me tonight." Naruto said in an obviously nervous voice and gave a small laugh to disguise the obvious nervousness in his voice.

"Don't apologize, Naruto." She whispered back and turned her body so that she was facing him. "I want to be here tonight." She sighed before continuing. "You're right, we don't know what tomorrow will bring us on the battlefield and I'm really happy you chose to spend your time with me."

"I always want to be with you, Sakura-chan." He answered before he could stop himself and felt the eyes widen at the realization of what he had said. Over the years he stopped being so insistent in his onslaught on Sakura. He had long ago accepted that she would never match his feelings and having her alongside him like a friend or battle-mate was enough after that realization.

She stared to him for a few seconds and he was surprised to see a smile adorn her beautiful lips before she reached out and pulled a few strands of blond hair out of his forehead. "I always want to be with you, too." She said with a sincerity that made him feel the heart beat faster than it should.

She turned and looked at the ceiling of the little stone cave they chose to hide from the others that night. "Naruto... When I said that I loved you that day when we went out to hunt Sasuke, I was telling the truth." She swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat for a reason she did not know. "Nobody believed me, not even you and I know everyone thought I wanted to manipulate you to stop you from going to Sasuke, but I didn't lie."

Naruto looked at her fixedly and felt all the air leave his lungs to see how she was telling the truth but he feared that was not exactly what he wanted to hear. He also did not miss the way she dropped the honorific she always wore affectionately when she mentioned Sasuke.

She went on. "I don't know when I realized that my love for you was strong enough to make me choose to kill Sasuke if it meant protecting you." She gave a weak laugh. "I'll always love Sasuke-kun."

He felt the jaw clench when he saw that the honorific had returned and how she spoke so tenderly again.

"And I'll always love you." She turned to stare him and he felt an almost uncontrollable desire to touch her.

"Sakura-chan..." He murmured.

"No." She stopped him from speaking and put a finger over his lips for a few seconds and he felt the lips burn where she had touched. "I know I'll never deserve the love you feel for me and I've accepted it for some time, now." He saw a few tears accumulate in her green eyes and felt a tightness in his chest, but she did not stop talking. "You deserve someone who is completely devoted to you, someone who has loved you for all the life, someone better than me."

Naruto frowned with annoyance invading him when he heard her to depreciate herself. Before he could say anything, he felt Sakura's fingers caressing his cheek and she approached him. "I can never love you like you deserve, Naruto. And you deserve all the love in the world." She smiled genuinely. "You deserve the world, Naruto."

"What are you talking about." He asked really confused and angry but did not have the strength to move away from her affection, he admitted to himself that was too good to let go. "I don't care that it's little... This love you speak, I mean."

She laughed humorlessly and continued stroking his face, after a few seconds allowed her fingers to reach his hair and lay there, without guilt. "Hinata loves you." She whispered as if she were telling a secret. "I was stupid for never realizing it before, but she loves you so much." She sighed and took the hand away. "She deserves you and you deserve the love she can give you."

"Coward." Naruto's deep voice echoed through the cave.

Sakura turned her neck abruptly to face him and was surprised to see some anger on his face. "What?" She asked to make sure she had heard right.

"You're a coward, Sakura-chan." He sat up abruptly and looked to her without blinking. "You're afraid to take on the feelings that are sprouting up in you and you're using that ridiculous excuse that I deserve more, to get away."

She sat up to face him more closely and felt a blind rage invading her by the tone he used with her. "I didn't-" She paused to choose the next words she would say. "I'm not geting away from anything, I admit that I love you, you ungrateful idiot." She snorted irritably. "I know you'll be happier without me, that's being altruistic."

"That's being cowardly." He repeated in a calm tone this time.

"I'm not a coward, Naruto." She snapped angrily at inches from his face.

"Proof." He said defiantly in his voice, hoping she would say something that would convince him, but he did not expect what came next.

He felt her lips rest on his and gasped in surprise, falling over the sleeping bag where they were. Sakura fell on him but did not move. She was determined to prove to him that in making the decision to give him up that he had the love he really deserved in Hinata's arms was to be altruistic and not cowardly.

But when she heard him moan under her and open his mouth to deepen that kiss that should never have happened first, she realized that she was not being cowardly or altruistic, she was being completely selfish because all she could think was that she did not want to give up him for someone that really deserved.

She knew that even if by some miracle Sasuke returned to Konoha he would never love her back and Naruto loved her so long as she remembered, even if she denied it until Sai had the nerve to said in her face. Here she was, falling into Naruto's embrace after telling herself innumerable times that she did not deserve him.

Naruto's tongue explored inside her mouth and she felt good about it, even though deep in her mind everything screamed for her to move away and run. When the awkward kiss finally fit and they reached a synchronized rhythm, she relaxed on his arms.

A while later she drew back to breathe and touched her forehead over his, realizing for the first time that they were in too much comfort for two people who were just friends. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and one arm of him was firmly fastening her waist while his other hand was tangled in her pink hair.

They cowered for a few seconds before he had the courage to break the silence. "What was this?" He asked breathlessly.

"That was me proving I wasn't a coward." She said petulantly but he did not lose the blush that graced her cheeks.

"Point taken." He said with a smile before lowering her head toward his again.

"Wait." She screamed, putting the hands on his chest. "I need to get back to the camp."

"Coward." He murmured with an arrogant smile.

Sakura narrowed the eyes to him and knew he was playing with her, but she was too lost in the brightness of his blue eyes to care. Taking his face between her hands, she kissed him again, catching him by surprise.

After a few minutes Sakura felt Naruto's fingers tightening on her thighs, almost painfully, but she did not feel like complaining, then was surprised when he turned them over and pinned her down, staying over her. He parted his lips from hers and looked into her eyes with something she had never seen before.

He spread kisses over her cheeks before looking to her again. "I never wanted anyone but you." He whispered over her lips as he stared at her with that look she would kill to find out what it meant. "No matter what you say, I'll not want anyone but you."

"Naruto." She whispered back, feeling her heart heat up with a feeling she only felt once in her life, when Tsunade took her into her care, willing to teach her when all the members of her old team left her behind. It was acceptance.

"If you want to be mine, I'll make you mine." He said with closed eyes and a voice that begged.

"Naruto, I did not-" She said with obvious uncertainty.

"Don't be a coward." He said as he opened the eyes to face her again.

She felt breathless from the warmth in his eyes. "I want to be yours, Naruto." She gave up complacently, realizing that perhaps this was the only chance in her life to be able to love someone who would love her back with more intensity than she could ever want.

A possessive grunt escaped his lips before he plunged into her mouth again and Sakura found what she saw reflected in his eyes, was desire.

She allowed herself to be led by him in what appeared to be a descent into an abyss of lust. Every sigh that left his lips made her feel hot everywhere and all she could think was that she really wanted to be there, wrapped in his arms, being loved by him. All thoughts about Sasuke or about the war disappeared completely making her feel light.

Naruto was ecstatic, for a moment he thought it might be a genjutsu or a very realistic dream he used to have when he was thirteen. If he stopped lying to himself, he would admit that he had a dream of those last week and that Sakura had always been in his mind, things got worse when he came back from training with Jiraya and found that Sakura had become even more beautiful than he remembered.

Having her beneath him, one of her legs hooked on his hip and her hands clutching at his hair as if her life would be over if she let go, he felt in one of his master's novels and mourned for thinking about it when he felt the own body reacting vividly to that situation.

He slid his hand over the tight black blouse she wore and he thought it was amazing on her. When Sakura gave a grunt that was muffled by his mouth, he thought maybe she was going to punch him, sent him straight to Suna.

"Naruto, you're going too far." Sakura managed to say in between sighs as she escaped his lips.

"You said you would be mine." She heard Naruto respond in a husky voice that she had never heard from him before and she would never say it out loud, but that voice sent chills all over her body.

She thought of retorting and saying something clever that would make him leave her, but a darker part of her mind, which she thought had disappeared in her genin times, told her to get lost in him only that night, because there might not have been tomorrow for them. Hearing that irritatingly persistent voice, she stopped struggling and gave in.

When Sakura melted into his embrace he allowed himself to lose control he had been holding ever since she had kissed him for the first time. He spread kisses down her neck and stroked her willingly to show how much he thought she was beautiful in his eyes.

He kissed the seal on her forehead, then the green eyes that were closed and tightened by the sensations he was making her have. When she smiled to him, he knew it was that smile was the first thing he wanted to see the next morning.

Sakura got lost in his touches and allowed herself to be loved for the first time and she decided it was good and she would not regret it. When all the clothes disappeared and he looked at her as if she were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen she felt the face warm, but did not cover herself, she liked the way he looked to her and at that moment realized that it was that look that she wanted to receive every day for the rest of her life.

Stifled gasps and groans echoed through the walls of the cave, the fire was almost dead but they did not care because the warmth of each other's bodies was enough to warm them. He growled possessively each time he drew closer to her and she sighed in his ear sending shivers down where he never thought he could feel. That night he loved the only woman he had wanted all his life and she loved him back, proving to him that she really was not a coward as he'd said.

* * *

The next morning came too fast. Naruto covered the eyes with a arm to keep the sun's rays from burning his retinas. "Turn off that light." He grunted sleepily.

"Turn off you, you lazy bastard." Sakura's hoarse voice echoed in his ears making him smile. When the realization that voice was not the fruit of his very fertile imagination, he sat abruptly.

Sakura felt the comforting pillow beneath her stirring and wanted to punch it hard enough to keep it quiet, in her sleepy state she did not realize that pillows did not move until she was pushed to a hard floor because of an abrupt movement of the pillow naughty.

"What the hell-" She screamed angrily and opened the eyes to see Naruto sitting next to her with his hair going in every possible direction over that windblown head of him. "Oh." She mumbled when all the images of last night flooded her mind like a river, making her feel the cheeks warm with a little shame, reminding her that she still had some modesty left over from last night.

"Good Morning." Naruto's husky, sleepy voice took her out of the torpor state she was in and she realized that his eyes were focused somewhere on her body.

She looked down and realized she was naked. "Perverted." She screamed, tapping his head weakly and taking the discarded blouse on the floor of the cave.

"You didn't call me that yesterday." He said with obvious amusement swimming in his husky voice and Sakura tried and failed miserably to contain the smile that he wanted to spice up her lips.

She threw his shirt over for him to dress, but he tossed it back to the floor and ripped off her blouse too, sending it in the same direction. He laid on the sleeping bag and pulled Sakura to lay on his chest again. "Just five more minutes." He murmured lazily.

"We don't have five minutes." She replied, reminding herself more than he, that they were still at war and outside that cave was a battlefield, but she did not make a move to escape his arms.

"When we win the war, marry me, Sakura?" He asked as he breathed into her soft hair, inhaling the delicious smell she emanated. He wondered how she could smell so good even in the midst of a war.

She looked up to face him. "No more, Sakura-chan?" She mocked and he smiled to her.

"Marry me, Sakura-chan." He repeated.

"We only have 17." She grunted but did not want to reject him completely. She was a little surprised at the sudden propose, but coming from Naruto she would have expected it after last night.

"Then, marry me when you make 18." He insisted and she laughed.

"Now there have been three proposes for marriage in less than five minutes, that must be some record." She bit the lower lip and looked into the blue eyes that had not stopped admiring her since they woke up.

"I don't want to risk losing you." He ran the hands through his disheveled blond hair and Sakura realized he was a little more frustrated than he wanted to look. "When Sasuke comes back-"

"If Sasuke comes back." She interrupted him. "He's not going to stay in Konoha. You and I both know that." She went on. "And how can I let you become a Hokage without keeping my eyes in you all the time." She smiled slightly to him.

His eyes widened with that last part. "Is that a yes?" He sat up abruptly, bringing her into his lap, making them realize again them scarcity of clothing.

"Win this war." She kissed him on the cheek. "Take me Home." She kissed the other cheek. "So, when we're mature enough I'll be your wife." She kissed his lips.

He cupped her face in his hands and got lost in the green of those bright eyes. "I love you, Sakura." He whispered before kissing her completely.

When they parted, she caressed him with her fingertips. "I love you, Naruto." At that moment she decided she would not give him to anyone who loved him more, because she would do her best and impossible to love him as he deserved.


	2. Letter, seal and fox.

Naruto had finally finished training with Killer Bee and was released by Tsunade to take part in the battle. He wanted to run and tell Sakura about the meeting he had with his father and mother through Kurama's seal, but she was too far away and he had to help end this insane war.

He was utterly exhausted from running everywhere to distribute chakra to his war companions and the only thing he could think of was that he needed to win this war and return home with the woman he loved. Scenes of the night they passed together raided his mind, making him trip over a stone in the middle of the path.

He cursed softly and yet allowed himself to remember the beautiful images that were burned in his memory forever. Sakura gasped, a thin layer of sweat covering her neck as she closed the eyes tightly and called his name.

"Is everything alright, Naruto?" One of the shinobi asked, seeing him stumble once more.

"Never been better." He responded with a dazzling smile and increased speed, wishing more than ever to be home.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sakura was running between the medical tents healing and supporting the wounded shinobi that seemed to increase in number more and more.

"Where were you a few nights ago, Sakura-chan? I thought I saw Naruto around here, but that's impossible because he was banned from being on the battlefields." Shizune asked nonchalantly, but Sakura knew better.

She looked at Shizune knowing that the woman wanted a gossip and Sakura wondered if she was so inattentive as to let anyone see her when she arrived disheveled that morning after night in the cave. She made a mental note to slap Naruto for not saying the pitiful state in which her hair was. "Naruto is a long way from here, Shizune." She ignored the first part of the question easily, just as it had been learned in the years with Kakashi, how to be evasive in a conversation.

Shizune opened the mouth to ask something else but Sakura was faster, leaving the tent at a speed that would leave Yondaime envious.

She ran and sighed with relief as she entered an empty tent, sitting in the chair by the table where she would see the next wounded ninja coming through the tent door. She heard the rustle of the cloth and looked up to see a shinobi she'd healed twice, the last time two days behind. "You can sit there, I'll take care of you in a minute." She said it with professionalism and began to prepare the medical utensils.

"Er... Actually I-" Sakura turned to face the man who was stuttering and looking at her with a gleam she had seen before in Lee's and Naruto's eyes whenever they invited her to a date.

 _'Oh shit.'_  She thought to herself and left the tray of medical utensils on the next table, staring at the man, knowing exactly what was coming next.

"Haruno-san, since you've taken care of me I can't stop thinking about you." He saw she open the mouth to talk something and decided to finish it before he lost all courage. "I don't know if I'm going to come back alive until the end of this war and I'd like to state my feelings." He held out the unlaced hand and handed the letter he wrote to her.

Sakura bit the lip nervously, taking the letter. "I'm sorry but I can't accept your feelings." She said with concern, she knew very well the bitter feeling of being rejected. "I have someone." She said before she could stop herself and the image of a grinning Naruto invaded her mind at that moment. "But I'll keep this." She smiled faintly, not wanting to break the man's heart.

"Oh." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Of course you would have someone, you're perfect." He said in a defeated voice.

"Me?" She screamed. "I'm not." She stated with conviction. "I'm so sorry." She found herself with an annoying lack of words.

"If you like him, he must be a great man." He said looking at the floor after a few seconds of awkward silence.

She smiled brightly. "He is. He'll win this war." Pride was evident in her voice.

* * *

Two days later Sakura had not seen a glimmer of orange and worry was eroding her. The news about the Edo-tensei and several elite shinobi being resurrected made her feel as if there was lead in the stomach. The fact that she had knocked over a White Zetsu inside the medical camp the night before was not helping with the nervousness. She took off the medical coat that was covering the jounin uniform and loosened the hair that was stuck in a tight ponytail, leaving the tent that became stifling.

"Naruto. Guys. Stay safe." She whispered to herself, hating being out of action, but knowing that her presence in the medical tents was necessary.

She walked to her tent and closed behind her, pulling off the vest and boots and leaving it in a strategic place, if anything happened at night she would have to be ready for battle in a few seconds. Without removing the clothes from the uniform she walked to the sleeping bag and felt a presence inside the tent.

In a matter of seconds Naruto found himself knocked to the ground with a kunai around his neck. "If you like this kind of thing I'll not judge you, Sakura-chan." He said with a wicked grin.

Sakura kept the kunai on his neck. "Don't be a pervert, Naruto, and don't scare me like that again." She stepped off him and walked over to the sleeping bag. "We had invaders at the camp last night. I could have killed you."

Sakura saw the worried look on his face as he rushed to join her in the sleeping bag. "Are you alright?" He ran the hand over her face, scanning every inch.

She smacked his hand and laughed at the pout he had made. "I'm fine." She sighed and took his hand. "A White Zetsu has taken the form of Neji and killed some doctors, we don't have very medic-nin now, but I took care of him and Shizune is taking care of the casualties, so everything will be fine." She sighed.

"I hate this war." Naruto said in a choked voice with sadness.

Sakura nodded and saw Naruto staring at a fixed point next to her belongings. "What do you-" She stopped when she realized what Naruto was staring for. Before she could stop him he jumped and grabbed the seemingly offensive object and stared to her with narrowed eyes.

"What is it?" He asked through clenched teeth as he read the paper in the hand.

"A love letter." She said nonchalantly.

Naruto finished the reading with a face of disgust and Sakura screamed when he set the paper on the candle beside the sleeping bag. She saw a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes as the paper turned a pile of ashes. "It's just a letter." She shouted with him.

"Of love." He said with less anger. "From who?" He questioned without taking his eyes off her.

"A patient." She stroked his hand with her thumb trying to calm him. She was accustomed to seeing Naruto screaming or even angry, she knew how impulsive he was about everything. But this reaction was something new, he always acted annoyed around Lee, Sasuke or any other boy who approached her when they were genin, but after returning from the trip with Jiraya he had changed that aspect. This look of anger in his eyes was new to her, almost possessive.

Naruto grabbed her hand and tossed it into her sleeping bag, placing his body over hers, he stared at her. "Why did you accept the letter?"

She gasped and realized that the look in his eyes was definitely possessive. "It's just a paper, Naruto." She realized that was the wrong thing to say when the grip on her fists got stronger. "I didn't accept his feelings." She whispered on his lips. "I said I already have someone."

The smile on his lips was huge after hearing that statement. "That night you said you would be mine." He whispered back and did not let go.

"I am." She smiled to him and used her strength to release the grip on the fists, using the hands to undo the zipper of his jacket. "I missed you." She said with a missing tone in the voice and he put the forehead over hers as he kicked the sandals away from his feet. She laughed at his antics and helped him take off the knit blouse.

"I didn't stop thinking about you." He put the hands inside her blouse sending shivers down her body. "I've been on the battlefield today." He said as he spread kisses down her face and neck. "I learned to work side by side with Kurama."

"Kurama?" Sakura asked curiously and turned away to look into his eyes.

"The Kyuubi." He said with a smile. "His name is Kurama and he lent me his power."

Sakura gasped and shoved him, landing on him this time. She put her hands on his chest to support herself. "You turned that fox covered for chakra?" She remembered the time he lost control in the fight of the bridge against Orochimaru.

Naruto interrupted her. "No. I'll show you." He closed the eyes in concentration, gathering natural energy and asked Kurama to lend the chakra as he gathered enough energy.

 **"You want to use me to impress your girlfriend, brat?"**  Kurama's hoarse voice echoed in his mind.

 _'Just this once.'_  He said in an almost childish tone and heard Kurama's laughter echo in his mind.

Sakura watched with astonishment as he was covered by a powerful and shining chakra cloak. "Beautiful." She whispered and plunged her lips into his, looking into the bright eyes she noticed that the iris looked like a frog's irises but she thought it looked good in him. She closed the eyes and got lost in his kiss. His body was hotter than normal and the Kyuubi's chakra made her skin tingle but she liked the sensation.

Naruto growled as he felt her body pressed completely into his and the position they were in was not helping to maintain control. "Sakura, wait." He moaned between the kisses but she did not back away. "Damn, Sakura." He grunted as he felt her lips on the skin of his neck and shoulder.

"I think I like Kurama now, even though he hurt me that time. Tell him he's forgiven." She said in a weak voice and Naruto realized that there was something different in the way she was talking.

 _'What are you doing to her?'_  He asked Kurama.

Kurama laughed lightly.  **"I didn't do anything, kid. She must like the chakra, is powerful after all."**

Naruto forced himself to turn off the chakra that was radiating from him and Sakura moved away. "Hey." She screamed in protest and he laughed.

"What was that thing with the Kurama's chakra?" Naruto asked curiously as he saw her unsatisfied face.

She bit the lip nervously and pointed at the seal on her forehead that he had not noticed before. "I've been storing this for a while, but the chakra that emanated from you has completed my seal." She looked at him shyly. "It was so warm and inviting, I think I got carried away."

Naruto smiled at the seal on her forehead. He did not know that Tsunade had taught her that and he felt proud, he always knew that Sakura was strong but somehow he knew that seal would make her even more powerful and for him it would be irresistible. He kissed the perfect design that had formed on her forehead, feeling immense happiness to know that he had contributed to it. "I'll warm you, now." He whispered and turned her back on the sleeping bag, never taking the eyes from hers. "Let me Love You." He said in a whisper and kissed her.

Sakura smiled with that last statement, she felt loved whenever she was with him and it was a good feeling. She was happy to have completed the seal and felt safer and stronger than she had felt a long time ago, having Naruto caressing every inch of her body was helping to complete the wave of happiness. After terrible days she allowed herself to get lost in his embrace and forget the war just one more night.

Naruto stroked her and kissed her neck as she felt his lips come down as the blouse disappeared somewhere on the floor, she gasped. "Naruto?" He had not done it last time, but she thought the last time had been a little rushed and they were kind of lost in inexperience.

"Let me Love You." He repeated it and looked into her eyes. She felt herself burn with the intensity in those blue eyes and lay the head on the sleeping bag, allowing him to do what he wanted with her.

She felt his lips on every part of her body and she almost thanked Jiraya for the teachings she had given the student, almost. She had never admitted that she was grateful for that old pervert out loud. "Naruto, please." She begged weakly and smiled as he kissed her lips and obeyed her.

He kept his promise to keep her warm that cold night. She looked into his eyes as he loved her and she did not care if she deserved that obvious adoration in his eyes, she did not care who was outside that tent or what tomorrow would bring. All she wanted was to love him back. "I love you, Naruto." She whispered in his ear.

When he laid his forehead against hers and closed the eyes tightly, she knew he was lost. "Sakura." He grunted as he bit her throat. She felt the sharp canines scratch at her skin and smiled with the shivers the gesture was sending through her body. "Sakura." He moaned this time and she hugged him tightly, feeling every bit of her body attached to his. She discovered that she wanted this more than anything and there would be no regrets about her choice. Naruto was hers and she would be his as long as he wanted her.

* * *

"Sakura-chan, do you saw-" The familiar voice echoed through the tent.

Sakura and Naruto sat abruptly.

"How problematic." Shikamaru grunted as he looked at them and closed the tent door behind him. "I looked for you around all the camps." He said looking to Naruto.

Sakura felt the eyes widen and the cheeks warm as she realized the situation in which Shikamaru had found them. She did not miss the grin that adorned his lips and knew he was amused by the situation. But she thanked to be him for having found them, he was discreet and would not spread the gossip because it was too laborious for him.

"What you doing in Sakura's tent?" He asked with raised eyebrows and Sakura knew he was teasing, if the amused gleam in his eyes were any indication.

"Sleeping?" Naruto said uncertainly and Sakura smacked her forehead with that creature's lack of quick thinking.

"What happened, Shika-kun?" She asked worriedly and thanked them for being dressed this time. Last night was too cold to sleep without clothes.

He took a few steps toward the couple. "You know we're in war, don't you?" He asked, still amused and Sakura felt an almost uncontrollable urge to punch that smile from his face.

"Say." She said through gritted teeth and a fist raised toward him.

He took a step back and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Sakura-chan, I came to get Naruto. You know how much I had to run to find him. A waste of energy and time looking for him while he was dating, this is-"

"Shikamaru." Sakura said in a warning tone. She looked at Naruto who was scratching the eyes and still sleepy to think. "Go, Naruto."

"Oh, okay." He mumbled and stood, pulling on his sandals and jacket and following Shikamaru out. When he reached the edge of the tent he took a few steps back and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you as soon as I can." He smiled when she nodded and smiled back.

* * *

Shikamaru cleared his throat and looked to Naruto that walked with the hands behind his head and a broad smile on face. "So.. you two?" Shikamaru said carefree.

Naruto's smile widened. "I love her so much."

"Everyone knows, Naruto." Shikamaru grunted.

"She loves me back." He clarified.

Shikamaru nodded. He remembered the way she cried when she heard the truths that Sai had said that day in the tent in Konoha before they set off in search of Uchiha. He saw the determination to protect Naruto that gleamed in those green eyes. He was not sure if she loved him in a romantic way but she knew that Sakura loved Naruto in some very strong way.

When he heard that she had knocked down all the squad that they sent only to kill Sasuke herself, he thought she truly valued Naruto more than any other. If she was able to try kill Uchiha Sasuke after falling in love with him throughout her teenage years just to spare Naruto from the burden, he thought Naruto was more important to her than she showed. But all this was too tiring for him to put a second thought.

"I'm happy for you." He answered truthfully. If anyone deserved happiness it was Naruto and if anyone deserved a corresponding love was Sakura. He was really glad they found what they needed in each other.

* * *


	3. Insecurity

Naruto had left very early, leaving Sakura again at the medical camp. She spent much of the morning analyzing the body of the White Zetsu who invaded the camp. She discovered that his body was composed of cells from the First Hokage. She concluded that Yamato, who had disappeared for some time, was certainly being used to hone the bodies of these irritating clones.

Upon receiving the report sent by Sakura and Shizune, Tsunade was indignant to learn that Madara and Orochimaru's obsession with the potential of her grandfather's cells had created monsters capable of copying bodies and even the chakra. She shivered at the number of casualties that had been caused by the clones the enemy was using against them.

After these revelations, Nara Shikaku informed Naruto of Sakura's discovery. At the sound of her name he felt a pleasant shiver run through his body and a smile came to his lips unconsciously. As he ran toward one of the battlefields next to Killer Bee, Naruto came across a team of ninjas and felt a different energy emanating from them. Testing the theory of his pink haired girl, he attacked one of the shinobi without a second thought and Killer Bee gasped as the ally shinobi turned into a Zetsu and then into a tree.

At that moment they discovered that the Kyuubi chakra would be very useful in the fight against these clones. Naruto decided to send a kage bunshin to each battlefield. With a triumphant smile he realized that it was a step closer to victory and a day closer to returning home.

* * *

Sakura was in a medical tent next to Shizune, or she hoped it was Shizune and not a killer clone ready to stab her in the back. "While we stand here, people are dying." She said with disappointment and a twinge of irritation.

"There's not much to do, this are orders from above." Shizune lamented, feeling as bad as Sakura for not being able to help the injured while the problem with the White Zetsu was not resolved.

They heard a commotion outside the tent and exchanged a cautious look, walking side by side with their fists prepared for the fight, if necessary.

One of the shinobi responsible for the safety of the medical tents was preventing the entry of wounded, Sakura did not blame him, were the orders. She stared at the woman who appeared to be a Suna kunoichi, carrying a wounded shinobi. Sakura felt her heart sink when the woman begged for help to her wounded husband, threatening to cut the own throat to prove they was not the enemy.

"Let them pass." Sakura declared with an authority that would make Tsunade proud.

"Sakura-san, if they're-" One of the camp guards tried to argue.

"And if they aren't the enemy, will we let an ally die?" She sounded almost desperate and was relieved when the kunoichi held her husband tightly and walked towards her and Shizune. They did not realize the malicious grin that adorned the lips of the two supposed Allied shinobi.

In a matter of seconds the wounded shinobi pulled out a kunai, while the kunoichi jumped toward them with a kunai in hand. Before Sakura could advance to the foe who had cheated her so blatantly, Naruto glowing with Kurama's chakra jumped on the enemies, turning them into trees, confusing everyone who was watching the scene, impotent.

"I'm just in time, Sakura-chan." He looked up and faced her with a smile.

"Naruto." She whispered in surprise and relief.

He scratched the back of his neck nervously, feeling a little conscious by talking to her in front of everyone after the night they spent together. "Hm, I can feel the enemy." He stated with a little more confidence.

Sakura nodded. "Point out who I have to punch." She set the gloves on and prepared to punch anyone Naruto would indicate. She was irritated knowing that many people had died for lack of help because of the attacks of the impostor clones, she was happy to be able to discount her anger now.

Naruto saw the determined glow in her green eyes and felt a nice shiver on his spine. He never said that to anyone, but he loved seeing Sakura in action. In battle he always caught himself staring out of the corner of his eye at the stunning moves she made with an impeccable taijutsu. She moved with grace and he loved watching her every move during a fight. He pointed to the clones that changed shape, turning into Zetsus immediately.

Naruto eliminated half of them while Sakura took care of the other half and he smiled at her when they finished. "Bring the wounded to the camp." Shizune shouted the orders tooking Naruto out of his stupor. Everyone around ran to retrieve the wounded, while the medic-nins, including Shizune, disappeared inside the tents, leaving them alone.

"Where is the real you?" Sakura asked shyly, assuming that Naruto was a kage bunshin. She did not know how to act around him in public after the change in their relationship. The only two times they could be together was in the safety of the cave or the tent and Shikamaru was the only one who knew about them, not to mention they were in a war, it was not the ideal setting for a romance.

"With the Gaara Squadron." The kage bunshin replied, approaching her more than necessary.

Sakura looked around seeing the wounded being carried to the tents. "I have work to do." She murmured and tapped a finger on his chest. "You too."

"Oh." He took her hand and did not look away, not caring if anyone would look in their direction. "So, how about a goodbye kiss?" He asked boldly, letting his mouth hover a short distance from her lips.

Sakura felt her heart race and looked around making sure no one was paying attention to them. She turned to look at him who had the same intense gaze like always he stared at her, throwing caution to the wind she kissed him. It was fast but there was not much time for kisses when there were people to be healed.

When she moved away he took the back of her neck and placed the mouth in her ear. "Let's go to your tent, I promise to be quick." He whispered with a wicked grin.

Sakura narrowed the eyes. "Even your kage bunshin are perverted." She said through gritted teeth. "We're in the middle of the battle, you idiot." She screamed in annoyance and punched him in the face making him fly across the field, hit one of the trees that sprouted from one of Zetsu's and disappear into a cloud of smoke.

"Sakura-chan." Shizune appeared in the tent flap where she was and shouted with folded arms. "I know Naruto has a knack for annoying you, but you shoot down our back up."

"Damn it." She mumbled to herself, realizing what she had just done.

* * *

In the middle of the desert dunes on one of the battlefields, Naruto was standing next to Gaara and the squad watching with horror as the powerful Uchiha Madara appeared in the middle of the battlefield, causing them to wonder who the Uchiha was underneath of the mask.

Suddenly Naruto felt a wave of memories flood his mind. He tapped the forehead to find out what one of the kage bunshin he had sent had told Sakura. He was grateful for the memory of the sweet kiss that the damn sneaky bunshin got, but the punch she gave him made him mourn and think of how he would get time to store enough natural energy to create another bunshin and send instead of the one Sakura knocked over, protect the medical camp.

He chuckled to see her face enraged at what the bunshin had suggested and was grateful that she had punched him. He did not know how he would react if he was in the middle of a fight and the memories of an intimate moment between Sakura and his bunshin came up. He could not concentrate any more, he was sure of that.

* * *

The war became even more bloodthirsty after the appearance of Uchiha Madara and though the man was only an invocation of Edo tensei, it was terrifying the power of destruction he was able to do. Sakura was sent to the battlefields, her force would be more useful than the medical ninjutsu at that time. She hated what she saw. The smell of death was pungent and her inner medic screamed for her to heal the fallen shinobi around, but she held herself back and ran at full speed toward the front of the battle.

Naruto stood before all the ninjas wearing a Kyuubi chakra mantle as he lent the red and warm chakra to everyone around. She loved the feel of that chakra on her skin and was a bit jealous for not being the only one to enjoy it. She sent those childish thoughts into the back of her mind from where they should never have left and concentrated on the battle before her. Madara and Obito, the two precursors of this insane and senseless war were before them. She feared for Naruto.

She saw him protect allies, blow after blow, when he gasped with obvious weariness she had to suppress a scream. She wanted to scream at him to stop wanting to protect the world by himself, but she could not, that was what the war did. She hated this war.

She saw the Uchihas transform the Gedo Mazo statue into a ten-tailed Juubi, powerful, relentless and indestructible. For a moment Sakura thought all was over. When the Juubi sent giant balls of chakra in random directions destroying whole cities in a matter of seconds, everyone on the battlefield shuddered for their families who were behind, supposedly in safety.

She felt her heart hurt for Ino and Shikamaru as the last sphere was directed to the Intelligence building. This war was unfounded and the deaths it caused were unfair. She hated this war more and more every second.

She watched helplessly as stakes came out of Juubi's hands and attacked everyone around. "Damn insane Uchihas." She grunted through clenched teeth in anger and pain at her fallen companions.

She looked toward Naruto who was kneeling just behind the Hyuuga of the main house and was shocked to see three heads of the same clan protecting Naruto. She remembered the fight in which Naruto faced Neji and every time Naruto was despised by Hiashi.  _'The war can unite people.'_  She thought as she ran toward Naruto who looked almost helpless at that moment.

She saw Hinata stand before him as stakes were sent toward them. She gasped as Neji jumped in front of Hinata. She prayed to heaven to arrive on time.

* * *

"Medical team." Naruto shouted desperately. "He's badly hurt." He screamed loudly as Neji fainted in his arms.

"I'm here." Sakura said in a barely audible whisper.

"Sakura... please." Naruto looked at her with imploring, watery eyes with unshed tears.

Sakura yanked the stakes off Neji's back and laid him stomach down. "Hinata, cover us." She asked without looking up, concentrating solely on Neji's wounds.

"You don't need-" Neji whispered as he tried to keep the eyes open.

"Don't tell me what to do." Sakura screamed angrily, interrupting him. "I don't care if you made up with death, she's not taking you today." She shed chakra over the open wounds, sighing relieved as she felt the muscles closing on her fingers. She restored the chakra paths that had been damaged and connected each broken vein, when the pink and fresh skin covered the wounds that no longer existed, she fell next to him and smiled when she saw him awake and looking at her with wide eyes.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." He said in a hoarse voice.

She laughed lightly. "Sakura..." She said in a gasping voice. "Only Sakura, Neji." She smiled as she saw him smile at her.

"Don't scare me like that again, you bastard." Naruto screamed, causing Neji to sit down and rub his chest where the holes were a few minutes ago.

Naruto looked at Sakura and squeezed her hand with a grateful smile that adorned his features. "You're the best." He smiled even more when he saw her bite the lip and look away from him so he did not see the flushed cheeks she adorned after the compliment.

* * *

After the cataclysm released by Juubi, she ran towards Naruto who fell to the knee in complete exhaustion due to the extensive use of chakra. "Idiot." She screamed before getting behind him and putting her hands on his back, pouring healing chakra over him.

"Sakura-chan, don't be mean." He spoke in a tearful tone and she knew he was pouting. She smiled and was grateful he did not see her face. She was falling for him every day more and it startled her, she had never felt like this before, not even with Sasuke. When they were genin the passion for Sasuke was childish, she admitted to herself. This intense feelings that she was feeling toward Naruto surprised her.

Sakura glanced up to see a man suddenly appear in front of them. "I'm late?" The man asked without turning.

"No, you're on time, dad." Naruto replied with a smile.

Sakura frowned in confusion. She looked at the man in front of them and saw that he was wearing a cape and something was written on it, but it was too dark to read.  _'Edo-tensei.'_ She thought as she saw the blond man's black eyes in front of her, but he had something familiar and Naruto had called him  _dad,_  making everything even more confusing. "Who are you?" She asked with a twinge of mistrust, her hands sinking further into Naruto's back.

The man turned completely to face her. "Don't worry, I'm an ally." He said to reassure her. "Thank you for healing Naruto." He smiled brightly at her and she knew at that moment that this man was Naruto's deceased father, she would ask him about it later. "Are you... Naruto's girlfriend?" He asked with an expectant smile.

Sakura felt the eyes widen at that question, although it was defined that they were in some kind of involvement, she did not know what to answer, they were in the middle of a war, no encounter had taken place. She remembered the marriage proposal Naruto had made in the cave, but before she could answer Naruto's voice echoed across the battlefield.

"She's my bride." He said with a silly grin and pride evident in his voice.

"Bride?" She heard Kiba's voice and Ino screaming in the background and ignored. It was not time for gossip, they were on the battlefield.

"Naruto." She screamed through clenched teeth and pinched his ear hard enough for him to moan in pain. "Don't waste your energy talking."

"Sakura-chan." He screamed as he tried to pluck her hand from his ear. "You should be healing me not hurting me any more."

"I heal this too." She responded with indifference and placed a chakra-wrapped hand in his ear. "Better?" She asked sweetly forgetting completely that they were on a battlefield and neither of them noticed that everyone's eyes around them, including their friends, were now looking at them.

"You can kiss me for better." He said with a smile that made her heart melt and she wondered when he started having that effect on her.

"Idiot." She grunted before tilting his head and kissing him upside down. She liked kissing him like that, but she would not give him the satisfaction of hearing her say it out loud.

The noise of someone clearing the throat made Sakura freeze on the kiss and look up. She saw the blond man looking at them with a silly grin. Minato bowed and Sakura felt her eyes widen once more. "I leave my son to your care." He stood erect again and looked between her and Naruto. "Sakura-chan, ne?"

Sakura left behind Naruto and bowed to the man. "I'll do my best." She tried to ignore the heat that warmed her cheeks.

Naruto kept kneeling because he was too weak to try to stand and sighed with relief when Sakura returned the chakra on his back. "Dad, she is Sakura." He turned his head and looked at her upside down. "Sakura-chan, he is my father, Namikaze Minato."

Sakura gasped. "Yondaime?" She asked completely mortified. "The same man who sealed the Kyuubi in you?" She asked in a dangerously low tone.

Sakura felt two strong arms encircling her waist and she had not noticed that she was marching toward Minato with her chakra-reinforced fists, ready to punch him. "Sakura-chan, it's okay, I'll tell you everything after we win this war." Naruto reassured her. "You don't need to punch my dad, okay?" He said with a funny laugh.

"You came faster to cause confusion, Minato-kun?" A voice interrupted their conversation.

"Sandaime-sama." Sakura exclaimed perplexed as she saw Hiruzen standing before them.

There was a commotion among the shinobi on the battlefield as they discovered that the four previous Kages had stopped the attack that was launched by the giant statue. When someone among the shinobi questioned who had resurrected them, Hiruzen explained that was Orochimaru, surprising everyone.

"Is not he dead?" Sakura asked as she forced Naruto to get on the knees again to shed healing chakra over him. "I don't understand anything else." She grunted to herself.

At that moment Madara jumped on top of a cliff challenging Hashirama for a fight. "I'll take care of you later." Hashirama shouted at him. "We need to end this Juubi first." He pointed to the tailed stone statue that was racing at high speed toward them.

"Naruto, we'll take care of this, try to recover your chakra for now." Minato reassured him. "Ah, your friend is on the way, he is also our ally."

Naruto understood that he was talking about Sasuke, but he doubted Sasuke would become ally of Konoha even in the face of all the destruction before them. He heard that Sasuke had joined Akatsuki after killing Itachi, he knew of the attack on the Kages that Sasuke had orchestrated before the war. He did not know how to feel about the old teammate and friend. He just knew he would not trust him so easily, not with so many lives at risk.

He looked at Sakura for a moment and wondered if she would still love him when Sasuke returned. The pain that invaded his chest could not be cured with healing chakra.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning some "post-war" chapters for this story, developing their relationship. Recently I've had some annoying health problems that keep me from typing (tendinitis in both arms, sucks). I'll not post so often, the same for my other stories, but I'm working on the chapters in my head, when my arms are good I'll put in words. I have an idea for another NaruSaku that I'll post soon (or not soon). Stay with me?!


	4. Don't leave me

A chakra he knew very well approached them and Naruto felt Sakura's hands tighten over his back, letting him know that she also recognized it. He closed the eyes tightly to stop the annoying anxiety that burned in his stomach. "You was slow to get here, Sasuke."

"Sasuke?" Sakura's voice penetrated his ears and he almost sighed with relief at the sound of Sasuke's name coming out of her lips without that accursed honorific.

"Is that you, Sakura?" Sasuke asked with obvious indifference.

Sakura looked at Naruto who returned her look. "What is he doing here?" She asked Naruto and did not lose the way those blue eyes were running every inch of her face for something that she did not know what it was, maybe confirmation that she was indifferent to Sasuke now. She knew he was insecure and shifted the hands from his back to the shoulders, hoping that gesture would be enough comfort. She knew more than anyone how painful it was to feel insecure about the feelings of the loved person. She did not want Naruto to feel this way. She did not want him to doubt how she felt about him.

All the old rookies turned to face the newcomer and Ino ran towards Sasuke being stopped by Shikamaru and Choji. "Stay away from him, Ino. He's an enemy." Shikamaru warned.

"You're still the same scandalous." Sasuke stated coolly.

"Why are you here?" Kiba shouted angrily.

"Why did you come, Sasuke?" Sakura asked in a surprisingly annoyed tone making Sasuke look over the shoulder at her. She did not lose the glimmer of curiosity that came into his eyes, but disappeared so quickly as it came.

"A lot of things happened, I decided to protect Konoha, and then I'm going to... become the Hokage." He said with conviction.

"What?" Sakura screamed in surprise and saw that each of her friends also had something to say about that statement. She did not miss the way Naruto had been surprisingly quiet since Sasuke's arrival, she could feel the tension in his shoulders.

Sasuke ignored all the protests and declared with conviction that he would become Hokage to change Konoha, accusing the previous Hokages of committing despicable acts that took them where they were at that moment, in that unfounded war. Sakura doubted that Sasuke would be able to do anything different from the previous leaders, she thought he could do even worse if the unstable mental state in which he was in the times in which they met, was worth as a valid reference. But Naruto was a different story, she squeezed his shoulders unconsciously at the thought of how he would make a difference when he took that chair in that Tower, and she would be at his side when that happened.

When Sakura finished restoring Naruto's chakra, he stood and walked to stand next to Sasuke. "Thank you for healing me, Sakura-chan." He said over the shoulder with affection evident in his voice. "Now it's your turn to rest."

She took a step forward but before she could say or do anything, Naruto looked away from her and looked at Sasuke. "Come on, Sasuke." He stated and jumped away with Sasuke beside him, leaving Sakura behind.

Sakura felt her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance at being left behind by those two again. She wondered when they would give her a chance to work alongside them as an equal. Feeling a squeeze in her chest for being underestimated, feeling like she was twelve again, she was taken back to the time where she was always commanded to sit and obey because she was not good enough to participate and no matter how much she wanted to, Kakashi would not pay attention to her as he did with the boys. Naruto and Sasuke would protect her instead of teaching her to take care of herself and she would always be the weak link in that chain.

She let the anger overflow and jumped in the direction where Naruto had left with Sasuke. Walking to the side of Naruto, she forced him to look at her eyes. "So you still see me like a weak little girl." She stated with obvious anger in voice.

"Sakura-chan I-" Naruto tried to argue but she looked to him with a look that promised hell if he interrupted her. He swallowed and was quiet, letting her say what he wanted.

"You think of the three Sannin, Tsunade would be the one not to train her disciple well." She asked rhetorically but was grateful to have caught their attention. She pointed to the seal that had formed on her forehead the night Naruto touched her with Kurama's chakra mantle. "I have as much ability as the two of you. I'm also a member of team seven." She stated with determination and a twinge of irritation that she was never recognized by them, including Kakashi.

Naruto took a few seconds to process what she had said and looking at her with the same warmth that was always present in his eyes, he smiled, making her smile back unconsciously. "You're a amazing woman, Sakura." He stated firmly making her heart warm when she heard him calling her name without the usual  _chan_.

"Yoshi, The team seven has finally back." Naruto screamed and took her hand, wrapping the fingers together. He looked at Sasuke who was staring at the hand Naruto had intertwined with Sakura's. Naruto ignored the heat that seemed to punch holes in their hands and looked ahead, facing the barrier that was holding the monstrous ten-tailed bijuu. "Let's do this together."

Sakura squeezed his hand and smiled even more, truly happy to be recognized by him. At that moment she thought that even if Sasuke did not deign to acknowledge her, all the pride evident in Naruto's bright eyes was enough for her. She was glad to have chosen the person who valued her rather than someone she had just dreamed up in her mind since adolescence. She discovered that being recognized by someone she loved was too good.

* * *

Naruto was amazed at the healing ability of Sakura's summoning. He saw the distance how she was concentrated as several slugs scattered across the battlefield, healing all the injured shinobi. She was Tsunade's apprentice for sure. He thought she looked impressive and knowing that she was his made him feel indescribable satisfaction. For the first time in his life he had someone to call his own.

Turning away from her, he focused on Gamakichi's leap and the way the giant toad deflected the stone soldiers's stakes, wearing a katana. Beside him Sasuke slid across the battlefield, using a giant snake that Naruto did not know if it had a name. He was happy to be fighting alongside his former teammate rather than against him. He decided it was a good change.

Fighting beside Sasuke for some hours, Naruto realized belatedly that the mind of his former teammate was more misrepresented than he had ever imagined. The desire for destruction, the obvious blindness in wanting to change the world at all costs without bothering to destroy the Bijuus or hurt the people around them. He saw that look before, on the face of all the power-hungry or vengeful villains he encountered in all his previous fights. He felt the heart hurt to see someone he cared so much about, to go down a path of destruction and hatred.

* * *

Sakura wondered how things went so badly in such a little time. Hinata told her what she was able to see thanks to the byakuugan, Uchiha Obito, Kakashi-sensei's former teammate if he tweaked Jinchuriki of the nine bijuus, and even with the four Hokages joining forces with Sasuke and Naruto, they had a difficult time .

Something like roots sprouted from somewhere she could not see because everything was too far away and she was not endowed with a kekkei genkai , every shinobi that was caught by one of those roots had the chakra completely sucked out. She gasped when she saw bodies falling lifeless on the ground and all she could do was dodge the roots, so as not to be the next victim.

Something like a giant tree sprouted on the ground, a giant stalk that could be seen by everyone so high it was, with what appeared to be a crimson flower at the top, aimed at the red moon that graced the sky of that bloody battlefield. "Shikamaru." Ino's desperate cry took her out of the stupor. When Katsuyu reported that there was no way to heal the fallen shinobi using the healing ability because they were already dead, Sakura decided that she would save those who were closer, literally and figuratively. Gathering the little energy she had, Sakura ran toward Shikamaru, determined to save at least one of her friends.

While healing Shikamaru she felt complete indignation at hearing from Harishama, through Ino's mind-binding jutsu, that they would all be used as fertilizer for that grotesque tree. She refused to be part of the sickly plan of those Uchihas who decided that the world was theirs.

"I never want to think I should have done something different and I can't do everything we've done so far to be completely in vain." Naruto's determined voice echoed in everyone's mind that had given up fighting after the catastrophic revelation of Hashirama.

Sakura felt the corners of the lips rise into a smile that she knew should not exist in such a disturbing moment, with so many bodies lying around, Shikamaru's weakened body still slumped in front of her, but Naruto had this effect on her and she refused to deny to herself that he was capable of arousing the best of her in the worst of times. She let herself be flooded by the wave of courage and determination that emanated from him.

* * *

Naruto watched his battle companions die, their lives sucked by the roots of that tree and not all the chakra he could share was able to spare them. But he refused to give up, even from a long distance he helped Sakura restore Shikamaru's health. He would never forgive himself if he let a close friend die, after almost losing Neji.

Obito was difficult to face, after hours of much fighting and listening to the insane speeches of a man consumed by rancor, he was able to knock him down, with everyone's help. Again he realized the value of having companions beside him. After leaving the fallen body of Obito to the care of Kakashi and the Edo tensei of his father, he ran towards the place where the Edo tensei of Madara was imprisoned by the jutsu of the thousand gates of Hashirama.

Naruto met Sai and together, they ran so fast as they could, certain that they would seal that Edo tensei that caused more deaths in all this war, so when he saw Uchiha Madara's false body become flesh and blood before his eyes, everything got even more confusing. He vaguely remembered the jutsu that Nagato had used to resuscitate everyone in Konoha after the attack that decimated the entire population that day that he hated to remember. He heard Uchiha Madara conjure the same words Nagato said and that moment he feared the worst.

He looked at Uchiha Madara revived and refused to give up. He felt an indescribable happiness as he fought alongside Gaara and all the beasts of tails against the powerful Uchiha. Sasuke had his part in the fight, but after all, Naruto doubted they were a team. With each step beside Sasuke he felt increasingly distant and this took some of the joy he was feeling. He hoped with all his heart that one day they could fight side by side, not only physically, but with heart as well.

When the giant stone statue he thought he had heard Obito call Gedo Mazo appeared before them after a summoning of Uchiha Madara and all the beasts were sucked into that aberration through chakra chains that even the sand of Gaara was unable to break, he thought that maybe the war was not over, maybe the victory was not certain like he chose to believe after Obito's fall, maybe they'd take a little longer to get back home. When he felt Kurama being completely yanked from him, the last thing he thought before losing consciousness was that he would have to wait even longer to have Sakura in his arms once more, her smile was the last thing he saw in his mind.

* * *

Sakura saw Gaara approaching at an unusual speed and she felt the stomach turn with a bad feeling when she saw Naruto unconscious. When Gaara pulled him off his back and placed him on a pile of sand, she ran to stand beside him, feeling that knot in the stomach increase.

She heard the voices of Gaara and Tsunade but she could not process the words they were exchanging, the shock of seeing Naruto in the same state Gaara was when they pulled him out of Akatsuki's hands made her feel almost numb. "What happened?" She screamed at Gaara without caring whether he was the leader of the squadrons in this war or the leader of an entire country.

"Just climb!" He yelled back, making her realize that he did not care about the titles, like her. "Just come with me, I'll explain in the way." He said in a voice imperative and almost as if he were begging.

Sakura swallowed the bile that up in her throat as she realized the Kazekage, always composed and seemingly calm, had a look of desperation. She climbed in the sand next to Naruto and stared at his face. She realized he was so tired and full of scratches and bruises all over the skin. She stroked his face, wanting with all her might him to look at her with that beautiful pair of blue gems just one more time to give her the confidence she always felt when he looked at her. "Don't leave me." She whispered and felt a treacherous tear slip down her face and fall on his cheek.

She did not see the compassionate faces that were around, looking at them. She did not see Hinata running toward them, shouting the name of Naruto with desperation. She did not notice when Gaara began to move the sand where they were. She just wanted Naruto to open the eyes once more.

She placed the chakra-flooded hands on his chest and found that his heart was beating slowly, she felt her own heart almost stop at that moment. "Don't give up!" She shouted at him. "You're so strong!" She poured chakra into every part of his body, trying to nurture the lack that was evident. She knew she could not make up for the lack of the huge chakra that Naruto was accustomed to because of the abnormal reserves he possessed as the Kyuubi's lifelong carrier. "I know you can do it, you have to, the war is not over and the world needs you." She tried to hold back the tears that were burning her eyes. "I need you."

"Hold on, Naruto." Gaara shouted beside them.

When Sakura felt the Kyuubi's chakra that was still surrounding her and everyone on the battlefield, disappear completely. She felt Naruto's heart beating slower and slower. "Why is my medical ninjutsu not working?" She screamed desperately.

"Probably because the Kyuubi was extracted from him." Gaara replied.

Sakura looked at Gaara in disbelief. "Impossible." She remembered Gaara's death after the extraction of Shukaku and felt her heart sink.

Gaara looked at her. "Madara got him, but there's a way to save him, because of that we're moving so fast." With that phrase she realized that they were flying on piles of sand at a speed too high to be safe. "Let's find the Yondaime Hokage." She listened intently as Gaara told how they needed the other half of the Kyuubi that was sealed on Naruto's father and felt relief knowing there was hope.

"How long until we get there?" She asked, trying to figure out how long it would take to keep him alive under almost impossible conditions.

"A few miles." Gaara said with apprehension.

At that moment she decided that no matter what, she would die before letting Naruto die. "If that's your way of getting away from the marriage proposal you made me, you got something else coming, you bastard." She growled at him and undid the zipper of the torn jacket he still wore. She did not notice the wide eyes Gaara had toward them.

_'I'm going to use the little chakra I have left.'_  She made a small chakra scalpel in two fingers and opened the side of him, flooding the other hand with chakra to contain the bleeding, she slipped her hand into the rib cage, holding his heart carefully, she mimicked the heartbeat. "While I'm here, I'll not let you die, Naruto. You'll not leave me."

Gaara watched with astonishment as she opened Naruto's side and he could not see right from where he was but he supposed she was pumping Naruto's heart with her own hand. At that moment he understood why Tsunade had told to take her with him. When he saw the determination in her green eyes and the passion she emanated when declared that last sentence, he realized she was more than a friend to Naruto. The statement she made about Naruto asking her to marry, surprised Gaara and he decided he would ask Naruto about it later, if it were true he would have to think of a good gift for both of them.

He made a cord of sand and fastened it around her waist, hoping this gesture would not offend his unconscious friend. "I'll go faster." He declared.

"Hai." When she nodded, he stepped up.

With the rising wind Sakura felt that the air in Naruto's lungs was diminishing. She used her free hand to keep his nose shut while blowing air into his lungs using her mouth. She noticed that his normally soft lips were dry and cracked from all the dust that surrounded them for so many days of battles and destruction. She thought her lips should be no different and felt foolish to think of something so trivial at a time like this. Kissing Naruto, no matter how simple it was, calmed her down.

While she felt Naruto's heart under the palm of the hand, she remembered all the times he declared he would be Hokage, with a silly smile and an incomparable confidence.  _'That stupid dream you had, will come true. Your dream is right in front of you, you idiot.'_


	5. Together, we are stronger

Gaara led them directly to where the Yondaime was, and unfortunately, Uchiha Madara was in the same place. Sakura stared at the scene in front of her and felt the heart clench at the thought of having to face such a powerful enemy, when Naruto was depending on her to keep him alive while she was literally making his heart beat.

She watched the whole scene in front of her, like it was a slow-motion movie.

Uchiha Obito and Madara were in a slow impasse over the past and the longer they exchanged words that made no sense to her, more she felt unrest. She wanted Kakashi and Gaara to interfere, she wanted Yondaime to join them and together they would overthrow the man who had been responsible for Naruto's current state. She wished she could take things into her own hands and take the Kyuubi back, by force, which was the way she liked most to solve the problems, but all she did was wait.

At some point she was surprised with sudden action and almost sighed with relief. But unfortunately everything collapsed very fast when the combined attack of Kakashi, Minato and Gaara failed completely, costing the remaining arm of the Yondaime. Sakura tried to keep her breath under control, forcing herself to believe they would survive, and that the war would end, and that Naruto at some point in much soon, come back to her, because she knew he would be able to overthrow Madara in some way.

She would believe him as long as his heart kept beating, and she would make sure it would be for a long time. Looking at Naruto, she felt the eyes burn, but she refused to cry, deciding that she would be strong for him, for both of them. She closed the eyes tightly to regain self-control.

When she opened the eyes after a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, wishing Naruto was awake and smiling at her, but instead she looked around to see they were in a completely different place. The scenario destroyed where they were had disappeared, the sand of Gaara fell beneath them, making them land on a stone floor, perfectly designed in cube form.

Sakura let out a breath that she did not realize she was holding. She gasped for air and cursed herself for holding the breath for so long, she felt weak at the thought that she was so afraid of the raw power of Madara that she forgot to breathe.

 _'I can't believe I was so scared I forgot to breathe.'_ She scoffed at herself in her mind, which was in a chaotic state at that point. "What the hell is this place?" She asked loudly this time, but she admitted reluctantly to herself that she was relieved that she and Naruto had been taken away from Uchiha Madara.

* * *

After a few minutes, which seemed like hours, Obito appeared before her, and at that moment she understood that he had been transported through the kamui, making her recognize the jutsu that Kakashi used to use and as if struck by lightning, she realized belatedly who was probably the ex-sensei who had transported her and Naruto away from the battle.

Putting all their faith in the fact that Uchiha was on their side, she allowed him to lay a hand on Naruto's chest. "Obito-san, is Naruto all right?" She asked uncertainly, as he withdrew his hands from Naruto, still unconscious.

"I put the Bijuu inside him again, he should be fine now." Obito reassured her.

She sighed with relief for the first time since Naruto's body had been brought by Gaara. Laying the head on his chest, she heard the heartbeat, were weak at first, but she thought it was enough. Looking at his face, she stroked his cheek lightly and smiled unconsciously when she saw him open the eyes. "Welcome back." She whispered.

"I died?" Naruto asked huskily.

She laughed and shook the head frantically. "I would never let you die, you idiot." She helped him sit down and wrapped the arms around his shoulders in a tight hug.

Naruto hugged her back and in that moment she forgot where they were, she forgot that there was a war outside that dimension and when she buried the face in his neck and felt his heat and smell, she felt as if everything was right again. "Don't scare me like this, never again." She whispered and released him to meet his eyes. "Promise." She tried to sound angry, but she was afraid she'd sounded almost desperate.

Naruto felt his eyes widen at the sight of her completely despairing face. He did not know what had happened. The last thing he remembered was to face Madara alongside Gaara and all the Bijuus and after that, he found Sasuke and the Sage of Six Paths.

Taking her face in his hands he kissed her quickly. "I don't intend to go anywhere away from you, Sakura-chan." He said with conviction.

"Hm, I don't want to interrupt-" Obito's voice made them both turn their heads abruptly toward him.

Sakura felt the cheeks warm with embarrassment and felt foolish to be so ecstatic with Naruto's return that she forgot that they were not alone.

Naruto stopped smiling at the sight of Sakura's flushed face, he loved to see her like that and was much more satisfying when he was the cause. He rubbed the neck nervously and looked at Obito. "I need to go now." He stated hoping it was not too late to end Uchiha Madara before he destroyed everything.

* * *

Before being transported out of that dimension, through Obito's kamui, Naruto asked him to keep Sakura inside, for safety. Unfortunately she overheard when he asked Obito, even though he tried to be as quiet as possible, it seemed that that strange place echoed even the smallest sound.

He needed to thank Obito later for being able to get him out before Sakura's fist hit him. With her trapped in another dimension with Obito, he was calmer to fight. Even though he knew she was capable of taking care of herself, Madara was a dangerous opponent and he was pleased that he could concentrate on fighting the Uchiha without having to worry about her. He could not bear to lose her.

Coming back to the battlefield in time to deflect the last blow that Madara had prepared for Gai-sensei, it made Naruto more than happy to be able to prevent the death of another companion. He would be damned if he allowed Lee and Kakashi to lose another companion, after all.

Without wasting time, after saving Gai, Naruto sent a powerful blow towards Madara, smiling with satisfaction as the chakra ball he sent, hit Madara in the chest, sending the man towards the giant tree, cutting it and knocking over that offensive thing. Taking Gai in his arms, he jumped away, before they were hit by the falling tree.

He laid Gai's body on the ground next to Lee and was intrigued to see the tree disappear along with Madara. Naruto felt apprehensive at the thought that it was not over yet, but looking at the symbol that Sage of Six Paths had placed in his hand, he felt as if he could do anything.

A hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality. "Naruto, let's drink together when you become Hokage." He turned to see Gaara behind him and smiled, nodding without hesitation to that statement.

That phrase gave him strength to continue, they would defeat Madara, and he would return home where he would marry Sakura and become Hokage, fulfilling the two dreams he had carried since childhood.

* * *

Sakura knew that Naruto was just taking care of her and she admitted to herself that she was terrified at the mere thought of facing Madara, but she did not want him to go to war alone. Knowing that nothing she said would cause Obito to take her away, she accepted that current condition, reluctantly, promising to hit Naruto when given the chance.

Suddenly Obito fell to his knees in front of her, and by the way he was panting, she realized he was on the edge of exhaustion. "You hurt and killed many of my comrades." She said in a tired voice. "I don't wat to say it, but I will consider you an ally, only this time." Closing the eyes, she sighed audibly. "Thank you for saving Naruto."

"I have one more favor to ask." She heard him say with difficulty. "Not as an ally but as an enemy." She felt her brow furrowed with that last part, but she still nodded, almost reluctantly, wishing with all her strength that she would not regret it after agreeing.

Obito asked her to destroy the Rinnegan, to Madara would not have it, explaining everything that would happen if that kekkei genkai fell into the wrong hands.

Closing the eyes tightly, she pulled a kunai from the pocket and nodded with determination. If destroying that eye would stop Madara from gaining more power, giving them a chance to win, she would. Looking one last time at the kunai and seeing the sweat trickling down from Obito's forehead, she thought that the pain of having the eye plucked would be too much for him to endure in that state, and he knew it too.

Flooding the left hand with chakra, she placed the hand over his eye and removed the eyeball as gently as possible, allowing her healing chakra to close the blood vessels and optic nerves.

"Didn't hurt." Obito's relieved voice made her want to smile, just how childlike he looked at that moment.

Both looked into the offending eye and without much thought about it, Sakura sank the kunai into the eyeball, turning that so powerful kekkei genkai into a small pool of blood in the palm of her hand.

Sakura gasped as she felt a powerful chakra invade the dimension. She jumped when she felt something flying toward her, escaping for a millimeter from being struck by a black metal rod that flew toward her at astonishing speed. Before she could look in the direction the object had come, Obito's voice saying a short word was all she heard before she felt the body being drawn against her will by an invisible force.

* * *

 _'Kamui.'_  She thought as she slowly landed on the floor, out of dimension. She heard a voice calling her name and looked up. "Kakashi-sensei." She smiled at him and took two steps before realizing that he was not alone. "Sasuke-kun?" Her smile died instantly.

"What are you doing here, Sakura?" Sasuke's monotonous, indifferent voice made her think how foolish she had been for so long, not realizing how much he despised her. Shaking the head to get rid of those unnecessary thoughts, she closed the distance between them.

"She was on the dimension of time space." Kakashi explained, sparing her from work. "What's going on there, Sakura?" Kakashi asked seriously.

"Sensei, your left eye." She mourned at the sight of blood streaming down his closed eyelid that was obviously empty of an eyeball, ignoring his question, too worried about the pitiful state he was in.

"It was very fast, but I think Madara stole my sharingan." He explained as she knelt in front of him, examining the damage that had been done. "But so, what happened there?" He asked again. "I'm sure Madara used kamui to teleport to that dimension."

"Then was him..." she murmured. "According to Obito, he was after Rinnegan." She felt the tension taking over Kakashi after that statement. "Don't worry, I destroyed it." She tried to reassure him and lost the glow of admiration in the eyes of the Uchiha who was staring at her and Kakashi all the time.

"We don't know when Madara will return. Stay alert." Sasuke declared, interrupting the conversation.

After repairing the damage done to Kakashi's ocular cavity, she stood and turned abruptly as they heard footsteps coming from behind them. "Naruto." She felt an indescribable relief flood over her as she watched him approach, wrapped in the chakra of Kurama.

"Sakura-chan." He replied with a smile. "Wait, why are you here?" He asked with frowning brows.

"Madara stole Kakashi-sensei's sharingan and went to that dimension in search of Rinnegan." She explained.

"Steal your sharingan?" He echoed her statement and placed his right hand over Kakashi's eye, surprising everyone when a perfect eye appeared in the place where there was nothing.

"How did you do it?" Kakashi and Sakura asked in unison.

"Hmm." He scratched the chin thoughtfully. "I guess that's when Sasuke and I met-"

"I told you to be alert." Sasuke's irritated voice interrupted him.

Naruto frowned with obvious irritation. "Don't interrupt people when they're talking. Your time with that psycho Sannin has made you even mannerless."

"Naruto, don't be rude, bringing this matter at a time like this." Sakura scolded him.

Kakashi knelt on the floor and could not stop the smile that took hold of his lips under the mask, remembering how many arguments, exactly the same ones, he had witnessed a million times before. He felt the heart warm as he thought that perhaps when all this was over things would be what they were when those three were still the clumsy genins who fell into his care so suddenly.

"He is coming." Kakashi interrupted the senseless discussion when he felt Madara's chakra. "Do you remember the purpose of the  _bell test_?" He asked seriously.

Sakura nodded. Sasuke grunted in affirmation. Naruto smiled brightly. "Team work." He stated cheerfully as he clasped the hands.

* * *

Uchiha Madara was completely furious that he could not get the second Rinnegan. When he faced the four shinobi in front of him, he bragged about being able to control Obito definitely and stated with an annoying conviction, that he would be able to defeat them easily even without any kekkei genkai.

Sakura knew he was not telling lies, but that arrogance irritated her more than she'd expected. Using her very useful medical analysis on the battlefield, she realized that he had no apparent wounds, but without the second Rinnegan, he was not invincible and together they would be able to do some damage to him.

Activating the  _byakugou seal_ , she hurried toward Madara willing to be helpful and determined not to be the only one to see the backs of theher teammates this time. "I'll be the bait." She yelled at Sasuke and Naruto before jumping into the Uchiha.

Naruto gasped audibly as he saw an iron rod crossing Sakura's belly. He felt his own feet moving toward her and felt foolish for doubting the destructive force of the girl he loved, when the punch she struck struck Uchiha Madara with force on his face and the shaft he thought had wounded she was ripped away by the small, destructive hands as if it were a barb.

"My turn." He whispered in her ear as he passed her as he ran toward Madara, willing to fight with everything he had.

* * *

Madara was right and unfortunately the statement he made earlier was not just arrogance. He was giving Team Seven a hard time.

Sai and Gaara joined them a little later. And by a miracle, as Naruto decided to call, Uchiha Obito regained control of his body, driving out black Zetsu that was quickly sealed by Sai.

"One left." Kakashi murmured as he supported Obito's body by the shoulders. "Can you still do that?" He asked Sai, afraid that something would go wrong and cost them the only chance they had of winning that war.

Sai nodded without a second thought. "I can do this."

Uchiha Madara inclined the head, looking up at the sky and laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke.

"I think this guy has serious problems." Sakura muttered to herself, but it was loud enough for the others to hear.

"He could use some therapy." Kakashi contributed, with a twinge of humor in his voice.

"Group therapy would be good." Sai added. "The traitor and the Akatsuki could join him."

"Sai." The voices of Naruto, Kakashi and Sakura joined in rebuke, but they had to admit, at least to themselves, that the boy was right at that point.

Gaara ignored the jokes and decided not to think how strange the people of Konoha could be, finding fun as they faced the most fearsome threat he had to displease himself from facing. Sending out his sand, sliding the grains sneaking toward the Uchiha who was still laughing as he looked toward the moon, making Gaara realize that they were running out of time.

Sasuke created a Susano'o with a powerful chakra in the second in which the sand of the Kazekage surrounded the legs of Madara. Using a chakra rope that came out of the arrow of the Susano'o to surround the arms of Madara.

With his arms and legs bound, Madara ceased the insane laughter and stared at his opponents with curiosity and a twinge of amusement in his features.

Madara looked at Gaara and Sasuke with disdain, then he turned to Naruto and stared at the chakra sphere in his hand. "Do you think this could kill me?" He sneered.

"That's not what we're trying to do." Naruto smiled.

Madara waited for the futile blow of the Jinchuuriki, ready to escape that annoying squeeze just after the boy made the last attempt to win. He would allow that last flame of hope to burn in their hearts, before he burned all hopes, activating the Infinite Tsukuyomi, plunging everyone into the dream world for eternity.

Naruto smiled wider when he saw Madara's one eye widen in surprise when the sealing scroll quickly replaced the sand and Susano'o's chakra strings. "Now." Sakura's voice echoed into the dark night as she gripped the scroll tightly as Sai finished sealing.

Sakura used all the last ounce of force inside her to keep Madara still, which was not an easy task because of the man's almost divine strength.

"A damn distraction." It was the last sentence uttered by the Uchiha, before Sai completed his task, arresting him definitely.

"Ended?" Obito's low voice broke the silence that had fallen.

Naruto pointed to the sky and everyone watched the moon turn white again as the red that covered it disappeared along with the threat that was Uchiha Madara. The applause and shouts from the shinobis that were on the battlefield, echoed through the rocks and was carried to them with the help of the biting wind.

"Ended." Naruto shouted with joy at the sounds of happiness from his fellow Shinobi Alliance. "We did that." He looked at Kakashi holding Obito, then at Gaara and Sasuke who had almost nonexistent smiles on his lips, just like Sai.

When his eyes landed on Sakura who was looking at him back, he smiled as he had never smiled before in his life. He opened the arms before he could think hard about how to act, feeling relief and some more emotions that he could not identify at that moment and he did not even want to try, when she ran into his arms.

She hugged him back, wanting to be closer to him, even knowing it was not possible until they were alone. "We did that." She smiled at him as she pulled away just a little to face him. "Together." She whispered before throwing caution to the wind and giving in to the desire she had been trying to control since he woke up from death in Kamui's dimension. Forgetting her fears, yearnings and shame, she kissed him.

Naruto groaned audibly as Sakura's lips settled over his. Without trying to resist, he closed the eyes and stroked her hair with one hand while the other rested comfortably around her slender waist.

"What the hell?" Kakashi exclaimed perplexed to see Sakura willingly in Naruto's arms, with Sasuke only a few feet away. He had found completely out of character when Sakura ran into Naruto's open arms, entangling her arms around him. But the kiss was the most amazing thing he had ever witnessed. And that was something, if he considered all the strange things that had happened that day.

"I don't think they're going to stop so soon." Obito grunted, taking Kakashi out of the trance in which he had fallen.

"Let's leave them alone." He replied, helping Obito walk, both being followed by Gaara and Sai who were more than grateful to be told to make the scene disconcerting. The sand of Gaara carrying the inert bodies of Madara and Zetsu behind them.

Sasuke followed them with a small scowl as he glanced over his shoulder one last time, seeing the passionate and affectionate way Naruto cradled a Sakura responsive and so passionate as he, in his arms. For the first time in a long time, he did not know how to feel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for taking so long to update. If it seemed that I ran with the whole war part, was totally intentional. Going through the episodes to write the story is a very tiring process, I want to start the post war soon, where I can create my own storyline. Thanks for staying with me and I promise to update soon.


	7. Let me prove that I love you.

A cold wind sent goose bumps on her skin, causing her to seek warmth around. Turning to the side where she expected to find a warm body, all she felt was the futon beneath her cold fingers. "Naruto." She murmured sleepily as she sat and looked around the tent, finding that she was alone.

The light from the lamp in the floor dimly lit the surroundings, and another shiver ran up her spine, making her realize that the zipper of the tent was not completely closed.

Ignoring the cold and the weight that fell on her stomach at the prospect of his sudden disappearance, Sakura searched for her clothes that had disappeared the moment she and Naruto entered that tent. She almost laughed as she remembered the anxiety and despair she saw in his actions the instant they were alone.

Putting on her clothes and putting Naruto's black and orange sweatshirt over the thin blouse, for good precaution against the chilly dawn wind, she walked out of the tent and looked around the camp. They were not home yet and the return trip would only last a day, even so Tsunade ordered everyone to rest at least one night before leaving for Konoha.

"Naruto." She called upwind, looking around and rubbing her arms frantically for warmth.

A snap, followed by a blast in the distance made her pull a kunai that was hidden in the pants pocket and run toward the noise. Sakura ignored the slashing wind against her face and the air wanting to leave the lungs and accelerated further toward the clearing near the camp.

"Bastards." She swore when she came to a point where it was possible to see two bodies moving, in what was surely a fight. "We won the damn war and they want to start another one." She grunted as she ran toward the duo that even in the darkness she knew who they were.

Before she could go very far, the sound of her name being called made her stop abruptly. Sakura watched as Kakashi and a few more shinobis ran toward her, letting her know she wasn't the only one who heard the noises.

"Kakashi-sensei." She greeted him as he moved close enough for her to see his features in the darkness of the night. "We need to stop them." She stated, trying to keep her cool when another explosion shook the ground.

Kakashi ran a hand over his face in a frustrated gesture and took Sakura's arm. "We can't do anything." He said as if it were obvious.

Sakura knew she should agree with him, after all Sasuke and Naruto were the strongest shinobis she knew. And remembering all that Naruto had told her about him and Sasuke finding a sage who gave them ancestral powers, she figured they were almost invincible now. But inside her something screamed, preventing her from sitting and watching.

"He's right, Sakura-chan." Yamato's voice made her look around and recognize some faces. "I don't think anyone here can stop them." Yamato concluded.

Sakura felt her heart pound, but she refused to watch while her teammates killed themselves. She was tired of sitting back and watching Naruto and Sasuke's struggles. "See me." She said through clenched teeth as she eased out of Kakashi's grip.

Glancing around she stared at the only person she knew wouldn't refuse to help her.

"I need you." She patted Gaara's chest with the back of a hand as she ran toward the fight, not surprised when she saw the flash of red hair in her peripheral vision. She did not resist smiling, glad that she was not alone. "Thanks." She said, looking at him without slowing down and didn't lose the way a smile rose on the lips of the ever-stoic Kazekage.

* * *

Naruto was really tired and he blamed Sakura for making him waste more energy than he intended, a few hours earlier that night.

When the war came to an end, all the leaders agreed to go to Konoha to decide what to do with the body of Uchiha Madara and Zetsu, after that all shinobis were more than happy to comply with Tsunade's order to camp and rest during the night.

What Naruto did not count was that the last thing on Sakura's mind was rest. The moment he entered her tent, he was literally thrown over the futon as she climbed on top of him. It didn't take long for him to tear her clothes off and get lost in her.

Naruto realized that this time had been completely different from all the others. Sakura's touches were almost desperate. There was yearning in her kisses and neediness reflected in her eyes, that made him think for a second maybe she loved him so much as he loved her.

When she slept in his arms, exhausted and pleased, Naruto watched her sleep for a while until he heard a rustle outside the tent. He put on a thin shirt, trousers and sandals and left, surprised to find Sasuke outside.

He questioned Uchiha's intentions around Sakura's tent and felt his heart tighten at the thought that if he wasn't there with her, maybe Sakura would get Sasuke into her tent.

Naruto let himself be consumed by jealousy, saying words he knew he shouldn't. All the weight of the past fell on them and the tension triggered a discussion that drove them into the fight they were in now.

Naruto dodged a chakra-laden kick and backed away from a distance he considered good enough to counter attack with one of Kurama's tails, before Sasuke armed himself with Susano'o.

He wouldn't lose to Sasuke this time, neither the fight nor the woman he loved.

* * *

When the war was officially declared over, Sasuke heard every word Kakashi and the current Hokage had said after Madara's defeat. He did not try to argue with the decree that he would serve his sentence in freedom, but would have to remain locked in Konoha for a while. He was relieved not to be executed or brought to trial before the Konoha elders who were responsible for the disgrace of his clan and the miserable life Itachi lived. He would never admit he was afraid, so he kept his face stoic and the posture rigid.

He had given up on destroying Konoha after hearing that the Village had been destroyed by Pain and was still in the process of being rebuilt, but he had not given up on becoming Hokage to change the place that was founded on dark secrets and rotten lies behind the facade of loyalty to the fire's desire.

When everyone celebrated the arduous victory and retired to their tents soon after the food and drink was over, it didn't take long considering that each shinobi only took what they deemed necessary during a war. Sasuke wandered aimlessly through the tents, successfully fleeing Karin's annoying pursuit.

He was successfully avoiding his former team as well, but was surprised to realize that Naruto and Sakura were not after him as he hoped would happen, not that he would complain anyway. He didn't miss them, nor did he care what they did. Even though they had done everything for him to come back and now that he was back, technically, if they weren't with him, it was their loss. Sasuke wasn't upset because he didn't care about the ties he made so much effort to break. Or was that he said to himself.

Walking near a tent that he knew exactly who was the owner judging by the chakra signature, he stopped unconsciously. Not that he cared about her anyway, all he was doing was a break from the walk.

The moans and whispered voices coming from inside the tent made his stomach tumble for some reason he did not understand and did not want to understand at that moment. When Sakura's voice called Naruto's name in a tone that made every hair on his body shiver with something he did not recognize, Sasuke felt angry.

That feeling he could easily identify, after all it was this feeling that guided him for years and years.

He didn't move from where he was until Sakura took a last breathless sigh and silence washed over the tent again. Almost half an hour later he decided it was time to walk again because he could recognize the anger he was feeling but those other unidentified feeling were consuming him from the inside out and he hated that sensation.

Sasuke realized that he had made a mistake for lack of subtlety when Naruto appeared behind him before he could go very far.

"What were you doing in Sakura's tent?" His voice sounded angrier than he would have liked, and he didn't know why that damn question escaped his lips, but now that it was said, he just wanted an answer to that.

"I didn't think you cared about her." Naruto responded with irritation present in his voice as well.

"I don't care." Sasuke snapped, not liking how bitter those words tasted in his tongue.

"Of course you not." Naruto hummed and shook the head, forcing a humorless laugh as he faced his friend and former teammate. "You still only care about yourself..."

Sasuke listened as Naruto poured years of resentment into words and as much as he tried to deny himself, the words hurt more than any physical blow Naruto could deliver.

After a few minutes he didn't know who had struck the first blow, but before either of them realized, they were both in a clearing away from the camp, fighting each other and Sasuke swore that this fight was a repeat of some battle that he had fought in another life.

* * *

Sasuke ran towards Naruto, easily deflecting one of Kyuubi's tails wrapped in red chakra. When he felt his heel hit the ground hard enough to give him the momentum he needed to hit Naruto in the face, a massive pain hit his belly and he did not see where the blow came from, but the impact sent him flying through miles, making him hit a rock so hard it cracked.

Naruto blinked a few times when he felt something strong wrap around his waist, preventing any movement. He was prepared for Sasuke's blow that never hit him and a red flash made him stop trying to escape the death grip on his waist, belatedly realizing that it was a rope of sand that couldn't be anyone but Gaara's.

Sasuke stood, cursing himself for not paying attention to the surroundings. He ran a hand over the back of his head and when he looked at the bloody fingers, he knew he would have a concussion.

"I don't think I calculated the impact force enough."

Sasuke recognized that voice and looked up only to confirm that was Sakura. He saw her fight during the battle against Madara, but he did not believe she was really strong enough until he was hit by her blow. "You punched me." He declared mortified, unsure why it had surprised him, but it did.

"It was actually a kick." She stated with a smile. And he realized that unlike all the other smiles she'd given him every year he'd met her, there was no shyness or flushed cheeks.

He did not have time to respond because when he opened the mouth to say something her hands were tangled in his hair and he felt something warm and comforting seeping into his skin. "I need you to be quiet." He heard her whisper very close to his face and all he did was nod.

"I told you to be quiet." She muttered with a laugh, pleased when he stopped nodding.

A few minutes passed in complete silence as Sakura closed the deep cut that the impact against the rock had caused. "Still hurts?" She asked sweetly.

"Not." He vocalized, knowing it would disturb her if he shook the head again.

"Welcome back, Sasuke." She whispered in his ear before pulling away.

The sound of footsteps coming, made them both look back to see Naruto and Gaara heading towards them.

"Who said they were unstoppable, huh?!" Sakura sneered and Gaara gave her a small smile.

Naruto laughed and put a arm around Sakura's waist, bringing her close. He looked at Sasuke and extended his other hand, making the friendship sign that Iruka always made them do at the end of a fight at the Academy.

Sasuke looked between Naruto and Sakura and fixed his eyes on Naruto's hand.

"Come on, bastard." Naruto insisted and Sasuke closed the eyes tightly before returning the friendly gesture, surprising himself when that gesture made him feel like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Sakura smiled as she looked at both of them. She pulled away from Naruto's embrace and slapped his head hard, making him moan and rub the spot frantically, muttering that she was unfair to hit only him.

She decided not to comment that the kick she gave Sasuke had been enough for one day and hit Naruto again for good measure. "Now, I swear by the name of Hashirama that if you two fight again, I will hit both of you with a chakra-coated blow right to the head and..."

Sasuke felt his eyes widen as he realized that the kick she had struck him was not reinforced with chakra, but recovered from the shock quickly. Listening to her threats led him back to the past, that was still painful remember, especially being with his former team. "You're still annoying." He heard himself say before he could stop the words from escaping his mouth.

Naruto felt his eyes narrow unconsciously, but the sound of Sakura's laughter made him lose all the anger he had felt after Sasuke's statement about her being annoying. When Sakura's hand rested on his abdomen while she rested her head against his chest, still laughing at what Sasuke had said, Naruto smiled.

"And you are still you." Sakura grunted, looking at Sasuke. "And I think this is a good thing, right?" She said looking at Naruto.

"Are you-" Sasuke tried to say.

"Together." Naruto broke up for him. "Sakura is mine now." He added right away, loving the way her cheeks flushed and enjoying the fact that she didn't object.

"We need to go back." Gaara stated, interrupting anything Sasuke was going to say next, walking toward the other shinobi who were still standing in the same spot that he and Sakura had left them.

Gaara was not good at deciphering people's feelings and he was still working hard at it, but something about the way the Uchiha's posture had changed after Naruto's last statement made Gaara's instincts kick and all he wanted was to go back. to your tent and rest. "Now." He said over his shoulder, waiting for the trio to follow him, before another fight broke up.

Sakura squeezed Naruto's waist even tighter and pulled him to follow Gaara. She took Sasuke's hand and was surprised when he did not let go. She smiled at both of them. Naruto's beaming smile and Sasuke's half smile that she received in response was all she needed after all they faced.

* * *

"I still don't understand how your house was not destroyed in the attack." Sakura grunted as she tied a huge trash bag and carried it out of Naruto's house, easily.

"Lucky, I think." Naruto responded as he washed the dishes, trying not to complain, knowing that Sakura would hit him with the broom she was using to clean the floor.

"You know... You can stay with me if you want. Here's room for two." He stated some time later while wiping the dishes with a pink dish towel that was certainly not there before.

It was only three days since everyone had returned, the shinobi and leaders of other villages returned to their own homes, and the citizens of Konoha were working hard to rebuild the village after the recent Pain attack and the damage that the war had caused.

For the past three days Sakura has forced him to clean up that hole he called home,  _her words_ , taking out the trash and dirt from every inch. Naruto wasn't complaining, having Sakura around was always good for him.

Wherever he looked, there were traces of her presence. The clean towels he'd never bought, hanging in the bathroom, the utensils and decorative items in the kitchen, the fluffy pillows on the couch, and the best part was her scent pervading each corner.

Having someone take care of him was something new and welcome. He was happy and even if at any moment she realized that this was a mistake and that she had never stopped loving Sasuke, he would still enjoy every second he could beside her.

"My parents are still in Tea Country, I received a letter two days ago."

Sakura's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, making him look at her figure sitting on the couch and he tried very hard to focus on her lips and what she was saying, instead of the beautiful shapely legs that were exposed by the short tight shorts she wore.

"They are fine in the house of some relatives, while I live in a small tent Kakashi-sensei gave me. Which is rare because that man never gave anything to anyone." She said with a serious expression and Naruto laughed as he sat beside her on the couch.

"Then come live with me." He insisted. "Because I'm tired of sleeping in that tent." He snapped his back to emphasize his point.

Sakura meant he had a perfectly comfortable bed in his room and if he slept with her in the tent was his fault, but she decided to think more about the proposal he had made and what surprised her was that she was tempted to accept it. "Okay." She answered before she could think about it too much.

"Yeah." Naruto shouted and pulled her to sit on his lap. "It will be great to have you here." He kissed her forehead. "And it's going to be like a training to our wedding."

Sakura buried her face in his neck and hid a smile. Since the war was over and they returned home, Naruto had not mentioned marriage once, and it made her a little unsure whether his intentions had changed. She did not lose the way he looked between her and Sasuke all the time whenever the three of them were together. She also knew he was sleeping in the tent to keep an eye on her, or so she thought.

As much as she understood Naruto's insecurities because she had been obsessed with Sasuke for so many years, it upset her. She did not want to blame him or fight him over the obvious jealousy, all she wanted was for him to understand that she chose him and she loved him.

"Naruto." She whispered in his neck.

Naruto ignored the shiver that ran down his spine as he heard her say his name in a whisper as she was so close.

She looked up at him and cupped his face with both hands, forcing him to look into her eyes. "I love you." She kissed his lips lightly. "And I want to marry you." When a small smile adorned the corners of his lips, she continued. "I'll marry you, Naruto. You. Not Sasuke or anyone else. Do you understand?"

Naruto caressed her hip with his thumbs as he listened to her say what he did not know he needed to hear until it hit his ears. When she said the last sentence he nodded frantically and almost felt ridiculous for acting so jealous in recent days.

"Thanks." He whispered on her lips, knowing she would understand why he was thanking her. "I love you Sakura-chan." He shoved her on the couch, laying on top of her. "Now let's mess this house up again."

"Naruto." Sakura's angry scream echoed off the walls of the house, making him laugh and discover for the first time that he loved her angry side more than could be considered normal.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it too. I'm working on the plot that will probably have three more chapters. Thanks for reading.


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